14 March 2014 @ 09:30 am
ATTF: Let's (Not) Be Serious: In Defence of Fluff and Crack  
A few weeks ago, I whinged to some of you about how disappointed I was that a total fluff piece I had written had received more hits and kudos in the space of 12 hours than my previous, more serious piece had in a week.

And that led me to thinking:  Exactly what moved me to consider -- even just for a moment -- that the one fic was somehow more worthy than the other?  Was I judging people's tastes (kind of odd, since I had written both pieces, obviously so that they would be read)?  Can we really compare apples and oranges?  And I think the answer is probably that yes we can, but not based on the premise that one is intrinsically better or more worthy of our attention than the other.  If I’m in the mood for an orange, no apple will ever scratch that itch, and vice versa. Both can be perfect, in their own way.

So here’s the thing:  I adore fluff.  And crack.  I love writing it, I love reading it, and I will be the first to stand up and declare that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with having no other authorial ambition than to entertain.  (After all, is that not why we read comics and go see films like “The Avengers”?)  We live in a world that makes demands on it in every direction, and sometimes we just need to escape, sit back and chuckle, or dream, or watch a penguin chasing a scientist across the ice on YouTube.

As the Bard said in The Tempest, “now I want spirits to enforce, art to enchant.”

For that purpose and no other, let’s have your thoughts and recs – tell us of stories that have amused or bewitched you; the times when one made you smile, or forget; or the reasons you love them.  Why you wrote one, and which one that is (self-recs are good!).  Or give us a new fluffy little something in a comment ficlet!  As you wish …

Here’s a couple to get you started (I picked those tagged as “fluff” or “crack” by the authors themselves):

[livejournal.com profile] eiluned’s The Pixar Movie Thing (rated T, no warnings)

[livejournal.com profile] sarea_okelani’s The Observable Universe (rated T, no warnings)

[livejournal.com profile] frea_o’s http://archiveofourown.org/works/614440 (rated T, no warnings)

And above all:  Have fun!

Things to remember:
1) Always label NSFW (Not Safe For Work) stuff in the title and post under a cut.
2) Fic and artwork needs to have a rating and warnings (or you can say that you’ve chosen not to use warnings).
3) For people with annoying internet connections, say in the title if a comment is graphic/images/gif-heavy and post picspams under a cut.
4) Have a damn good time! (Because if that’s not happening then this post has clearly failed.)
 
 
Current Mood: amused
 
 
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[identity profile] whiskyinmind.livejournal.com on March 14th, 2014 03:39 pm (UTC)
I think a lot of the issue is that when we're writing angst or drama we tend to feel every ounce of the angst and drama and as such it takes a toll on us. We do the same when we're writing fluff and/or crack as well, but in those cases we're taking on board the *good* feelings - the number of times I've giggled myself silly when writing a crack piece is scary - so we think it's easier to write in a way? It's not that one genre is better than any other, it's that we remember the angstier writing as being more difficult and therefore think it's more worthy?

Maybe?

(Also, love your reccs - Observable Universe has long been one of my favourites but the others are awesome as well!)
[identity profile] alphaflyer.livejournal.com on March 14th, 2014 05:29 pm (UTC)
n
You're probably right. I'm writing angst right now, and it's taking its toll (why I'm here, procrastinating). Fluff flows easily, and requires a little less investment. Which, in turn, makes it *nice* to read I guess -- like eating chocolate rather than broccoli.
[identity profile] spyforaday.livejournal.com on March 14th, 2014 07:44 pm (UTC)
I am an unrepentant fan of fluff. Why? I can be reasonably sure that there's a happy ending. As long the characters stay in character, I can read fluff all night. And if there's action and adventure -- bonus! That's not to say that the angsty dramas and stories of a deeper meaning aren't read. Those are peppered in, of course, but I need those happy endings!

I'm self-reccing this story. I re-read it last night (quite by accident while looking for something else). I realize now that it was probably written for an ATTF prompt last year, but it made me laugh again. Maybe the 500 words will make somebody else smile today…

Flip You For It (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9720184/1/Flip-You-For-It) -- no warnings, no nothing. Just fluff.
[identity profile] alphaflyer.livejournal.com on March 14th, 2014 08:10 pm (UTC)
I remember this one! That was fun. I think I did a fluffy comment fic for the same prompt, but don't think I ever posted it anywhere. :-)
[identity profile] spyforaday.livejournal.com on March 14th, 2014 10:09 pm (UTC)
Thanks! And I think you need to remedy the non-post situation. ;)
[identity profile] happilydancing.livejournal.com on March 14th, 2014 07:44 pm (UTC)
I think just knowing that something is fluff-fic or crack-fic is extremely appealing. Okay, reading that it is angsty is appealing too, but you don't have to gather yourself. Usually they are quick reads and just make people smile. And its good to go back and forth between them. I wouldn't say they are like brocolli and chocolate, more like a burger and fries. One takes a bit more work but is filling, and the other is delicous tasty goodness. And of course the combo can't be beat. And now I'm hungry. And also want chocolate. ;)
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ext_2027[identity profile] astridv.livejournal.com on March 14th, 2014 07:58 pm (UTC)
Well-written fluff is a thing of beauty! The Observable Universe is one of my most-reread happy fics. I also love this one by OracleGlass:
Looking for You (Or Anyone Like You) (http://archiveofourown.org/works/458311)
[identity profile] alphaflyer.livejournal.com on March 14th, 2014 08:08 pm (UTC)
YES! I almost added that to my list -- it's by this comm's own [livejournal.com profile] sienamystic but decided to leave it at three. So glad you added it!
[identity profile] rebelliousrose.livejournal.com on March 29th, 2014 05:17 am (UTC)
Thirding the Observable Universe. It always makes me hungry for cake and barbecue, in that order. It's also the only time I like Jane Foster.
[identity profile] classics-lover.livejournal.com on March 15th, 2014 10:09 pm (UTC)
Rec for you: Earth's Muppetest Heroes (http://archiveofourown.org/works/869896) on AO3 by Seriousfic. There are Muppets, there are Avengers, it is pure crack, and few fics ever make me laugh so loud and long, and it's rare for me to reread a fic, but I've reread this one often. The author also gets the Muppets' personalities down perfectly, too :)

I love writing crack and fluff, and find it... Not so much easier, as it's quicker to inspire me than angsty plots. I love to laugh even when life is gone to hell in a handbasket (I will never forget the day one of my closest friends buried her three-day-old baby. All our friends got together and just told jokes and funny stories the whole time. Best coping mechanism ever) and even in serious fics/novels I prefer to have moments of levity.
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